Luxury car theft gang jailed

Members of an international gang that amassed more than £4.5 million by stealing luxury cars have been jailed.

Southwark Crown Court heard that the gang stole more than 190 top-of-the-range cars, including Ferraris and Porsches, often at gun or knifepoint.

The gang then changed the identities of the cars, using new computer chips and identification plates, before they were sold through trade publications and internet sites.

Ten members of the UK gang, who were based in south London, carried out the vehicle ringing operation with help from associates in Belgium.

Seven Belgian members of the gang have already been sentenced.

Anthony Holt, 41, a Tube driver from Sidcup in Kent, was said to be the most prolific author of false documents to the DVLA, being linked to falsifying information about 136 vehicles and was jailed for four years.

Mechanic Omar Abbas, 36, from New Cross in southeast London, who was responsible for welding false identification plates and changing other car parts at his garage, was jailed for five years.

Robert Taylor, 36, from Peckham in southeast London, was linked to the theft and sale of vehicles worth more than £300,000 and was jailed for two and a half years.

Holt's girlfriend, Emma Rayfield, a 32-year-old trainee police officer, also from Sidcup, was given 75 hours of community service. She had pleaded guilty to three counts of forgery.

DVLA official David Adams, 31, who had worked in Sidcup in Kent, was recruited by Taylor and was given 200 hours of community service after admitting corruption in a public officer.

Michael Kingsley, 40, from Brockley, southeast London, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to dishonestly handle and was jailed for 15 months.

Jason Okoh, 32, from South Norwood in south London, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and was jailed for one year.

Mark Danlardy, 32, from East Dulwich in southeast London, also admitted conspiracy to defraud and was jailed for 18 months.

Terrance Harding, 31, from Colliers Wood in southwest London, admitted conspiracy to dishonestly handle and was jailed for nine months.

Last month, Matthew Wilson, 52 of Orpington, Kent, was given a 12-month suspended sentence after admitting dishonest handling.

(KMcA/SP)